Browned Butter Apple Cider with Brown Sugar + Sea Salt
I will officially have a hot drink in my hands from now until May—or later if the Chicago winter decides to usurp spring. As soon as crisp air hits, I’m all about the coffee (well, that happens year-round), hot tea, cider, tonic, glogg, or whatever else I can pour in an oversized mug. This time of year, that means hot apple cider.
But this is no ordinary cider. For this recipe, I thought I’d try adding a bit of browned butter. I figure people already add butter to coffee (which is totally weird to me, by the way), so why not try adding a pat to some cider? I fully admit, though, this is not for health reasons or anything else. It’s just that browned butter is freakin’ delicious, and adding that rich, nutty flavor to a steaming cup of mulled cider is pretty much fall in a cup. (If you want more detailed instructions on how to make browned butter, check out this post from Simply Recipes.)
And since we’re going all out with butter in our drinks, why not add a little extra salt and sugar? I coated the rim with a mix of flaky sea salt and brown sugar. Especially with the richness of the butter and the sweetness of the cider, I think it needs a hint of salt. But if you’re not into the sweet-and-salty mixture, you can just do a brown sugar rim. Throw in a splash of bourbon at the end for good measure (optional, of course, but highly recommended).
Scroll down for the recipe!
What are you drinking this fall? I’d love to hear in the comments below!
Browned Butter Apple Cider with Brown Sugar + Sea Salt
Yields 2 Servings
2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
1 teaspoon flaky sea salt*
1 teaspoon brown sugar or turbinado sugar
18-20 ounces hot apple cider (best if mulled on the stove or in a slow cooker for a while!)**
Bourbon (optional)
Add the butter to a small skillet. Melt over medium heat, whisking frequently. The butter will start to foam, have a nutty aroma, and turn brown. Watch it carefully, because it can go from browned to burned in seconds!
When it’s browned and nutty, turn off the heat and transfer the butter to a heatproof dish to stop the cooking.
Pour the sea salt and brown sugar into a shallow dish or plate. Rub the rim of two mugs with a little bit of the butter, then dip the rims of the mugs into the salt/sugar mixture.
Divide the browned butter between the two mugs, top with hot apple cider, and serve with a lemon slice or cinnamon stick. Add a splash of bourbon if desired. Enjoy!
Notes:
*If you don’t love salt as much as me, you can reduce the salt amount or leave it out completely and just coat the rim with brown sugar.
**I add cider, a few cloves, a cinnamon stick or two, and lemon or orange slices to a pot on the stove or slow cooker. Simmer for a couple hours to let the spices infuse the cider.
